Category posts: Culture & Communication

Though we might not realize it at first, culture plays a big role in how we understand what it means to be productive, motivated and happy in our lives.

Culture and communication practices embedded in specific cultures shape not only how we work with others, but also how we think about the values, goals and life events that are important to us.

Understanding Culture And What It Means To Be Productive

For example, people who grow up in Eastern cultures tend to value community goals and overall societal attitudes more than their own personal goals or happiness in the moment. Being productive as a society and working for the betterment of the country, or even for a single company, might be a higher priority for Eastern individuals than for those in the West.

For Westerners, the individual almost always comes first. Personal goals, happiness and values are given more weight, and people are likely to care about their own productivity more than their company’s or the country’s as a whole.

While there is no one right way to be a productive, motivated person, understanding the role that culture and communication within that culture shapes your values can help you think about personal growth and productivity in new ways.

Considering their counterparts, Westerners might be able to feel more productive when they get little accomplished for themselves, but contribute to the overall goals of their communities. Likewise, Easterners might be able to feel happier doing something fun and positive for themselves, even if it means contributing to community goals less.

Of course, these are rough examples. Not every single person in any kind of society is going to follow the general mentality of that culture.

However, taking the time to reflect on how your culture and society has shaped you, and how others differ, can lead you to better understand your goals and values and how worthy they are of your time.

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